Dark Summoner (Relic Keeper Series Book 1) (13 page)

It dawned on me that this was what Marcus had been referring to when he said Kieron would “return for Friday.” Friday was the arrival of this woman—his fuck buddy—or whatever she was. She definitely wasn’t his girlfriend. Kieron wasn’t the kind of man to have a girlfriend. She was probably one among many. The most beautiful one, I was certain, but not the only one.

“Luca, a glass of champagne for Stassi,” he said, gesturing to his gorgeous companion.

If I gritted my teeth any harder they’d probably break. Yeah, it was definitely time to go.

“Well, as much as I’d like to stay . . .” I said. I set my glass down and walked away. Kieron’s commanding voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Be ready to leave by nine tomorrow—and no later.”

I couldn’t look at him, too afraid that he would see through me if I did. Instead, I waved my hand in the air as my recognition, making my mortal exit, and leaving the rest of the day to the gods.

R
ed. It was the color of blood and fire. Associated with many different emotions, it was above all the color of power. Tonight, I intended to use the color to send a message to every person who thought they could manipulate or control me. The dress I’d chosen to wear was a strapless crimson, one that fell just above the knee.

I examined myself in the mirror one last time, satisfied with my appearance. Reagan and I had gone through at least six different gowns before we finally settled on this cocktail dress with matching ruby, dangle earrings. I paired my outfit with three-inch black strappy heels and smoothed my hair into an elegant, yet understated bun. I had hoped Reagan would be able to go with me as I met these people, but she couldn’t. Apparently half the
Triae
would be following us out and would act as sentry to this event. The other half would remain at the estate. Since I still didn’t know the actual numbers, I’d assumed it wasn’t a lot.

I glanced up at the clock on the vanity: exactly nine o’clock. Right on time. But instead of hurrying down to meet Kieron, I sat down on the edge of my bed, clutch in my lap, as I watched the minutes tick by.

Five minutes after nine, ten minutes, then finally the clock reached fifteen minutes after nine.

I rose, gathered my things, and headed downstairs. When he’d said
no later
last night, my anger got the best of me, and I decided I was going to make him wait. There wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. I was proving a point. I wanted him to know that he didn’t control my every move.

I’d expected to find him in the large foyer at the bottom of the stairs, as he paced back and forth, impatient for me to arrive. At least that’s how I played it out in my head. I’d be gratified that he waited for me. Except he was nowhere to be seen, destroying my planned entrance.

It didn’t take me long to find him. He was in the lounge, relaxing patiently against the smooth leather as he conversed with Marcus. He acted completely unaffected by my little power play, which burned me to the core. I was, however, grateful to see that it was just the two of them. I didn’t think my patience could handle another encounter with Stassi or Roman right now. Both Reagan and Luca were noticeably absent. Coincidence? I highly doubted that.

My heels clicked against the wooden floor, announcing my arrival. The moment I saw him, my breath caught in my throat. Dressed in a black suit, crisp white shirt, and narrow black tie, he was incredibly sexy.

He cleared his throat. “I see you took my advice,” he said, as his seductive gaze swept over me. I could have sworn I had heard a small hint of huskiness in his tone.

Marcus wasn’t so subtle. “Damn, Abby,” he said, whistling. “You look good enough to eat. Those workouts are paying off.”

He turned to Kieron. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to take her out like that?”

Kieron’s threatening glance caused Marcus to raise his hands. “I’m just saying, everyone’s going to want a piece of her after tonight.”

He ignored Marcus’s warning and approached me, his arms gestured out wide. “Shall we?”

“Goodnight, Marcus,” I called over my shoulder, as I followed Kieron down the narrow hall until we reached the garage. The interior was massive and at least six different cars were parked inside. I’d never been interested in cars before; they didn’t impress me. My pace slowed as I checked out the different makes and models, fascinated by the vast array of machinery. Kieron maintained his long strides, unaffected by the luxury that surrounded him. I kept trying to decide which one was my favorite, the process slowing me down. His steps never faltered, never hesitated. He knew his direction long before we entered the garage. We headed for a sleek black and silver sports car that resembled a mix between a race car and an alien spaceship. Its futuristic style was modern and smooth. As I passed the front of it, I noticed a small red plaque on the front that said Bugatti.

Never one to be too much of a gentleman, he opened my door but didn’t stay to close it.

I pulled it shut behind me, smoothing my dress under my legs as I slid into the passenger seat. The delicious smell of expensive leather and Kieron’s heady cologne filled my senses. His distinct scent of fire and night was everywhere, totally engraved into the material. I wanted to rub my skin against the fabric like a kitten around catnip. I could tell he drove this car a lot more than the others.

“Tell me, what part of no later than nine didn’t you understand?” he asked, pulling the car into reverse as he switched gears and spun us around and down the expansive driveway.

I slipped on my seat belt and shrugged my shoulders. “I understood it. I just chose not to listen.”

“Forever combative, aren’t you?” he said without looking at me.

“Only when I need to be,” I countered. “By the way, I forgot to mention how nice things were during your little absence. No one bossing me around or telling me what to do. You should go away more often.”

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, a smirk playing on his lips. “Just because you don’t see someone, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.”

He was being unusually playful with me, flirtatious even. My inner alarm blared at me to back off. Stop flirting, I told myself. I took a deep breath and looked out the window. I counted lampposts, houses, anything to keep my mind off his proximity. The problem was, the longer we drove, the more obscure the surroundings became.

His heat swept across me every time he glanced over, admiring my mouth, skimming my breasts, trailing my legs. The interior of the car grew cramped as my desire filled the air. He set me on fire without touching me.

“Do you feel anything?” he asked, his words smooth like honey.

I shifted my thighs, rubbing them together as anticipation pulsed through me.

“Excuse me?” I asked, my mouth dry.

“Have you felt a draw—to a certain place or location?” he asked again.

“Oh. No. Nothing yet.”

That was a partial lie. Right now I was drawn to a hell of a lot. But it had nothing to do with the Relic.

“So,” I said, clearing the hoarseness from my throat, “what’s the plan for tonight? Anything specific I need to know?”

“You’ll be introduced to the various leaders, and they’ll ask you questions. But nothing particular is planned.”

“So there isn’t some kind of inspection or test? That was the impression I got.”

“Your behavior is the test.”

“My behavior?” I asked.

“Yes. They’ll test your patience, emotional response. Everything and anything they can get from you, they’ll take.

“How should I behave?”

“You’re asking my advice?” he asked, raising his eyebrows in question.

I didn’t like the idea of him telling me how to act. His ego was already far too used to people behaving that way, but I was about to enter into a situation I’d never been in before, and I needed his help.

“Yes, I suppose I am.”

His eyes danced between me and the road as he answered. “Be polite, but listen more than you speak. Silence is a powerful, yet often underused tool. The less you give away, the less they know. If they cannot know your mind, they cannot control you.”

Polite and silent, just like a cheap escort. “Anything else?”

“Yes.” He studied me, driving steadily without watching the road. “Keep eye contact and never look down or away. It’s a sign of weakness, and one they will eat up if they get a taste.”

I nodded my head. “Okay. Got it.” I smoothed down the edges of my dress as I recounted his advice internally. “When does all of this end?”

His brows furrowed. “I’ve told you, it doesn’t end.”

“No, what I mean is, when am I no longer the Relic’s Keeper?”

The blue dials illuminated his skin as his mouth formed a tight line. “Never.”

Never.

My world shattered.

The glowing sign of the Lennox Luxury Hotel shined brightly against the murky night sky, greeting us like an oasis in a parched desert. Kieron’s lavish sports car zipped around the arched driveway and stopped in front of the sliding glass door entrance. A young valet hurried over and opened my door, offering his hand to escort me out. Kieron handed his keys to the valet with a few stern words. I was certain he threatened the poor kid if something happened to his car.

The tinted glass doors automatically slid open, revealing the plush lobby’s interior. There were a few guests moving about, and we were greeted with a friendly hello and a warm smile from the receptionist at the desk. Kieron placed his hand on the small of my back, ushering me along, as we walked side by side through the lobby. Its wide, circular shape echoed the sounds of our footsteps against the speckled white, marble floor, the noise reverberating off the walls to the high ceiling and back down again. We moved under a long painted archway, passing two large bronze columns adorned with golden leaves. Erotic French artwork featuring several naked figures added a sensual European flare to the hotel.

“I didn’t realize you guys had hotels like this in the First Realm,” I said, keeping my voice low.

“Not all of the regions within the realm prefer to keep things as simple as Daegus or myself. Many prefer it this way, more modern like cities of the Mortal Realm. This specific hotel is owned by Vann Lennox, an important figure within the Council. So it’s often used.”

He stepped in front of me and held the door to the gardens open. His warm hand gently wrapped around my bare arm. “Ready?”

“No. But I don’t think I’ll ever be.” He nodded in agreement, and with that, I walked into a new world, further away from my old life. The garden was already abuzz. Glasses clinked and voices chattered.

At least fifty people filled the outdoor patio. I had pictured less than twenty of us seated around a long table. Part of me hoped to blend into the masses and the other part dreaded speaking to every one of them. I shoved down the fear as I readied myself. An unnatural hush came over the crowd, silencing the courtyard. I froze, unable to move with every set of eyes on me. Their expressions ranged from mild interest to disgust and perhaps even fear.

Kieron slipped his hand in mine and jolted me forward. A rush of longing swept through me, and my heart burned to life as our palms touched. It was an unexpected and intimate act for Kieron. To me, it seemed completely natural to hold his hand, and I didn’t want to let go. He walked me through the crowd with ease while everyone parted and stepped out of our way.

Although difficult, I kept my head raised and my eyes level with everyone we passed. I didn’t look at the ground once, trusting Kieron to guide me safely. After a minute, he squeezed my hand, warning me that we were about to stop, and released his grip. My skin tingled from his touch, and I saw him squeeze his fist once and then release it. Maybe I wasn’t the only one affected by this invisible pull.

We approached a small group of people at the far end of the garden. Their backs were to us so I wasn’t sure who we were headed toward.

“Daegus, you remember Abigail Davenport?” he said.

“Yes, of course. You’re well, Abigail?” Daegus’s pale blue eyes inspected my appearance.

“Yes. Thank you for having me,” I said. We all knew this was a demand and not an invitation, but I played the part of polite guest anyway.

His bushy gray brows rose as he took me in. When his attention lingered on my breasts too long, Kieron interrupted him.

“You asked for her presence, and she was kind enough to grant you an audience, the least you could do is offer her a glass of wine.”

“Yes.” Daegus snapped his fingers into the air, and an attendant rushed to get my drink. Not only did Daegus have my creep radar going off like crazy, but he had a distinct odor of dead flowers that made my skin crawl. I hadn’t noticed it the first time we’d met, but now it was overwhelming me. I’m not sure anyone else could sense it, but it took everything in me not to reach out and cover my nose. Fortunately I was saved by the gentle voice of Isadora.

“Abigail, child. I’m happy to see you are well.”

The attendant returned with a large glass of deep burgundy wine. I accepted it gratefully and took a sip. Even though I was angry with all of them for putting me in this position, it was hard to have negative feelings for someone who constantly treated you with kindness.